Сhарter 6: I Wish You Suссеss
It wаs midsummеr, with the afternооn sun blazing fierсely.
Sunlight filtеrеd thrоugh thе fаn-shаpеd оld lоcust trеe bеside the еаves, сasting frаgmеntеd, mottlеd lеaf shаdоws thаt lауеrеd upоn his broаd bаck.
Gu Changcе lifted his dаrk eуеs, саlm as still watеr, and suddenlу rесаlled thаt the first timе he saw Shеn Zuihuаn wаs аlsо on suсh a bright, sunny daу.
Тhаt wаs tеn years аgо, in thе first yеar оf Yuanshou.
Тhе nеw еmperоr hаd ascеnded the thrоnе аnd еstablishеd thе position of Erudite of thе Five Сlаssiсs.
Shеn Zuihuаn’s fathеr, Shen Jianzhang, аnd Wei Хianуù’s fathеr, Wenguang Wei, had performed exceptionally well in the policy examination and were promoted to Erudites of the Five Classics, becoming the talk of the town for a time.
The Gu family had been military officials for generations, with little literary refinement.
The tutors in their clan school were casually hired from private academies outside.
Civil and military officials in the court were clearly divided.
To ensure he received a proper education, his father swallowed his pride and spent a long time maneuvering among the literary gatherings in the capital.
Only then did he come to know Shen Jianzhang, a great scholar of the time.
And so, at the age of fourteen, he was sent by his father to study under Shen Jianzhang, as he had wished.
Becoming a disciple under his tutelage.
However, he had never been able to sit still since childhood. Not long after arriving at the Shen residence,
he had barely read a few books but instead became fast friends with Shen Jianzhang’s youngest son, Shen Qingyou.
Shen Qingyou was only nine years old, still young and similarly uninterested in studying. Instead, he enjoyed watching him practice swordsmanship.
Thus, every afternoon, the two of them, one older and one younger,
would secretly put down their books behind Shen Jianzhang’s back and run to the rockery in the backyard, using tree branches as swords to spar with each other.
That day was exceptionally hot.
After practicing with Shen Qingyou for a short while, he was already drenched in sweat.
It nearly soaked through the thin black robe he wore over his clothes.
He and Shen Qingyou ran to the covered corridor in the backyard to escape the heat.
Shen Qingyou wiped the sweat streaming down his face with his sleeve.
His face flushed red as he said to the older brother he had just met but shared common interests with: “I’ll sneak to the small kitchen in the front courtyard to get two bowls of plum ice to cool off. Brother Jing’an, wait here for a moment.”
He was also unbearably hot, sitting on the ground with one knee bent, casually waving his hand in response.
Shen Qingyou turned around and disappeared in a flash.
Gu Changce closed his eyes slightly to rest.
All he could feel was the warm breeze and the somewhat noisy chirping of cicadas.
Suddenly, a dull, creaking sound of a wooden window being propped open reached his ears.
He looked up and saw a fair, delicate face peeking out from the opposite wing room.
The little girl looked quite young, perhaps eleven or twelve years old.
Her face still carried some lingering baby fat.
Her appearance was truly beautiful.
Though young, she had almond-shaped eyes, peach-blossom cheeks, a delicate nose, and lips like cherries, with dark hair.
It was not hard to imagine the stunning beauty she would become in the future.
The only flaw was that the little girl wore a stern expression.
Her eyes were lowered, quietly focused on the book before her.
Cold and aloof.
Just looking at her, Gu Changce felt a refreshing coolness wash over him.
But at the same time, he wondered why someone so young could genuinely enjoy reading.
His younger sister, Gu Changning, was about the same age.
She preferred expensive jewelry and lavish dresses, and would get a headache at the sight of books.
Curious, he stared intently at the girl.
Back then, he still didn’t know how to conceal his thoughts.
When the little girl noticed his intense gaze.In the midst of the flurry, with a “thud—” she lowered the window.
Gu Changce: ?
What does that mean? Not even allowed a look?
He looked rather innocent as he rubbed the back of his head, wondering if he had done anything to offend the young lady just now.
He was still pondering this in his mind when Shen Qingyou came running around the corner, holding two bowls of plum ice.
As soon as he reached the corner, he eagerly called out his name: “Jing’an Ge! Jing’an Ge! I’m back.”
Gu Changce turned around casually.
Shen Qingyou shoved a bowl of plum ice into his hand.
It felt cool to the touch.
Shen Qingyou sat cross-legged beside him.
Holding a white porcelain spoon, he cradled the bowl of plum ice.
He scooped large spoonfuls into his mouth.
Looking as happy as a fool.
Gu Changce felt a bit disdainful of him and subtly shifted his body away.
Lowering his head, he gazed at the white porcelain bowl, lost in thought for a moment.
His slender fingers then lightly tapped Shen Qingyou’s arm.
Raising his hand, he pointed ahead: “That young lady living in the Hengwu Garden over there… who is she in your family?”
Hearing this, Shen Qingyou’s expression changed: “You saw my eldest sister just now?”
So that young lady was Shen Qingyou’s eldest sister.
Gu Changce lowered his eyes thoughtfully.
Shen Qingyou’s eldest sister… seems to be called… Shen Zuihuan?
This young lady was quite renowned for her talent in the capital despite her youth.
Even someone like him, who wasn’t interested in gossip, had heard a thing or two about her from casual conversations.
He replied with a light “Hmm.”
Upon hearing this, Shen Qingyou’s face immediately turned pale.
With a pained expression, he hugged his bowl of plum ice and tried to run, but the man sitting beside him grabbed him by the collar of his shirt.
Gu Changce asked him: “Why are you running?”
Shen Qingyou explained: “Jing’an Ge, you don’t know, but my sister is even more rigid than our schoolteacher. If she saw us sneaking out to play, she definitely wouldn’t cover for us when my father asks.”
Hearing this, Gu Changce couldn’t help but laugh.
How could there be a young lady who didn’t even know how to lie!
Gu Changce pulled Shen Qingyou back to sit down and asked him:
“Is your eldest sister also studying under Uncle Shen? How come I’ve never seen her around before?”
Shen Qingyou chuckled awkwardly: “Of course you haven’t seen her. We’re only at what level? We haven’t even finished the Four Books yet.”
“My eldest sister is well-versed in the classics, histories, philosophies, and literary collections. She’s been studying in the front courtyard with Brother Wei all along.”
When he heard the words “Brother Wei,” his eyebrows furrowed slightly: “How can we get to study in the front courtyard?”
Shen Qingyou’s expression stiffened as he scratched his head: “At the very least, we’d have to pass my father’s test first.”
Gu Changce lowered his eyelashes.
Looking at the white porcelain bowl in his hand.
—White porcelain plum soup in midsummer.
—Crushed ice clinking against the bowl.
He casually scooped a spoonful into his mouth.
Feeling only the coolness spreading.
But then he remembered the slender, willow-like young lady with a lotus-like face.
And felt a sudden, unbearable restlessness in his heart.
As if making a firm decision, he suddenly patted Shen Qingyou’s back: “In a month! I’m going to study in the front courtyard too!”
Hearing this, Shen Qingyou was dumbfounded.
He stood there in stunned silence.
Gu Changce raised an eyebrow: “What kind of reaction is that?”
Shen Qingyou fell silent for a moment, thinking of this older brother’s even worse academic performance than his own.
With an awkward expression, he said: “Uh… it’s hard to say, but anyway… I wish you success…”